Global military spending hit a record $2.9 trillion in 2025, increasing for an 11th consecutive year as rising global insecurity and rearmament drive defence budgets higher worldwide.
The top three spenders, the United States, China and Russia, combined for $1.48 trillion, just over half of global expenditure.
A report published on April 27 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows total spending rose 2.9% compared to 2024, pushing the global “military burden,” or the share of worldwide GDP devoted to defence, to 2.5%, its highest level since 2009.
The upward trend is likely to continue, according to the SIPRI report.
